What can self storage operators learn from the hotel industry? Quite a bit.

In this episode, Josh Huff and Melissa Huff sit down with Lee Creech to talk through how hospitality principles apply directly to self storage.

Lee shares how his background in hotels shaped the way he thinks about customer service, pricing, and running a facility day to day. The conversation covers everything from keeping your property clean in a way that actually impacts customer perception, to understanding who your customers really are and how to serve them better.

You will also hear:

• Why your facility is not a "can of corn" and how that changes your pricing strategy
• How to identify and track the customer segments that matter most in your market
• Why customer lifetime value is higher than most operators realize
• Simple ways to build loyalty so customers return and refer others
• How to approach pricing based on your specific market and competition

This episode is full of practical ideas that can help you think differently about your operation and how you serve your customers.

If you're planning your year, here are a few events we recommend:

• Register for the NeSSA Expo in Connecticut using code Lighthouse10 - Register Here
• Register for The Big Ideas in Storage Conference in Texas - Register Here
• Register for MSM's The Show using code LSS2026 - Register Here

Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff

Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

As the self storage industry heads into another busy season and with ISS World Expo around the corner, Josh and Melissa take a step back to talk about something simple but often overlooked. What is the core of your business and are you still focused on it?

With AI and new tools dominating conversations across the industry, it is easy to get pulled in a lot of different directions. Some of those tools can enhance your business. Others can become distractions.

In this episode, we break down the difference.

We look at real-world examples like Amazon expanding in ways that still support its core business, compared to companies like Microsoft that invested heavily in products that did not align with their main focus.

Then we bring it back to self storage.

At the end of the day, our business is renting units. That means focusing on three things above all else:

• Creating a smooth and simple rental experience
• Delivering a great customer experience after move-in
• Attracting the right customers to your facility

If those three things are not dialed in, nothing else will matter.

This episode is a reminder to evaluate where your time, money, and attention are going and to make sure everything you are adding actually supports the main thing.

If you're planning your year, here are a few events we recommend:

• Register for the NeSSA Expo in Connecticut using code Lighthouse10 - Register Here
• Register for The Big Ideas in Storage Conference in Texas - Register Here
• Register for MSM's The Show using code LSS2026 - Register Here

Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff

Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions

Are your vendors actually doing what you're paying them to do? After a short break to get settled into our new role alongside Haviland Storage Services, Melissa and Josh are back on the podcast addressing a topic that affects every single operator.

We all rely on vendors. Landscaping, software, security, marketing… They're a critical part of running a self storage facility. But here's the question we don't ask often enough: Are you really getting what you're paying for?

In this episode, we dig into how to keep your vendors accountable and make sure they're actually serving your business the way they should.

We cover:

• Knowing your contracts (and what's actually included)
• Scheduling regular demos and check-ins
• Making sure you're using everything you're paying for
• And getting out to trade shows to compare options and stay sharp

One of the best ways to evaluate your current vendors and discover better ones is simply getting in the room with them. That's why our recommendations this week are all about trade shows.

If you're planning your year, here are a few events we recommend:

• Register for the Inside Self-Storage World Expo - Register Here
• Register for the NeSSA Expo in Connecticut using code Lighthouse10 - Register Here
• Register for The Big Ideas in Storage Conference in Texas - Register Here
• Register for MSM's The Show using code LSS2026 - Register Here

Hosts: Josh Huff & Melissa Huff

Produced by Lighthouse Storage Solutions